The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said Saturday it has received 20 reports of technology-related disputes about a month after launching a hotline aimed at stamping out technology theft from small businesses.
The “SME Technology Theft Eradication Hotline” officially launched April 26 as the first joint project of an interagency task force. When small firms file a report through the hotline, legal experts provide consultations to help craft a response strategy and connect the company to the agency best suited to the type of dispute.
Of the 20 reports, eight have been forwarded to investigative authorities, nine are under expert consultation and interagency review, and three were withdrawn or rejected because they did not qualify as technology theft. The ministry said it is considering adding staff for the hotline at the ministry and the Large and Small Business and Agriculture and Fisheries Cooperation Foundation to speed processing.
Over the past two years, the ministry received 20 complaints in 2024 and 16 in 2025 seeking administrative investigations into technology infringement. The ministry said compensation has been difficult because evidence is hard to secure and lawsuits can be lengthy and costly.
The ministry said it is working with related agencies on measures to strengthen proof of harm, including a Korean-style discovery system, new authority to order submission of materials, evidence-building based on administrative investigations and tougher penalties. It said the Korean-style discovery system cleared the National Assembly in January, but some have said practical infrastructure must be built for it to take effect.
SMEs and Startups Minister Han Seong-sook said the hotline was created so very small firms harmed by technology theft can report cases easily and receive free help from legal experts. “We will strengthen cooperation with the interagency task force and related ministries and expand the budget for technology protection to meet the high expectations and interest in the field,” Han said.
Separately, the ministry said there were 299 technology infringement cases as of 2024, with average losses of 1.82 billion won per affected company. The National Police Agency said it arrested about 380 people in 179 cases last year related to technology leakage crimes.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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